I simply cannot wait for this match, and I certainly did not expect that to be the case at the beginning of this Cricket World Cup.
Both the Netherlands and Afghanistan have well and truly justified their inclusion in India, and both nations have recorded multiple, memorable wins to sit on the edge of the Top 4.
The Dutch are still the only nation to beat South Africa at this tournament, and following a couple of losses, they return to winning form at the expense of Bangladesh on the weekend. Bas de Leede might be the best player to ever pull on a Netherlands jersey, and I’m backing him for another bag of wickets on Friday.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, have continued to improve as the tournament has progressed, and they have won their last four matches, including two in succession leading up to this clash.
Afghanistan do deserve their favouritism, but I don’t have as much between these two nations as the bookies do, so I am once again going to take the value on offer for the Netherlands to win, along with a couple of other player picks.
Suggested Bets
- Netherlands to Win ($3.50)
- Bas de Leede Over 2.5 Wickets ($5.50)
- Rashid Khan Over 2.5 Wicket ($3.75)
- Hashmatullah Shahidi Over 24.5 Runs ($1.83)